Why You Need to Start Shopping Sustainably & Where to Start

Social Media platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram have fueled the fast fashion monster that preys on thrift stores and leaves its cheap quality carcasses in landfills. Social Media has been very helpful in some ways by popularizing some alternative fashion or even bringing it back from the dead (ex. Gyaru and Ganguro fashion). Social Media has influenced people to branch out and broaden wardrobes. There is a dark side to this spotlight, though. Fast Fashion is defined by the exploitative behavior of factories pumping out low quality “trendy” and low priced clothes. The impact this has on the environment and thrift stores in all states has been detrimental and devastating and it seems like there’s no end in sight. The only way to stop the monster is to stop buying fast fashion and start investing in good quality second hand clothing.
The life cycle of these crap clothes begin like this. Brands and websites popularize and push out trends, then influencers (or people who have been influenced) spend hundreds of dollars on “bundles” of these clothes. After a week or a month at the best, the trend dies or the clothes fall apart. The final stage of the life cycle is to end up in a landfill or to be donated into a thrift store, which is a good idea and people should regularly donate clothes, but these clothes are low quality and a “dead trend” becoming essentially worthless for re-selling or purchasing.
This vicious cycle has given birth to the most problematic issue that the clothing industry faces today. People aren’t willing to buy “good” clothes anymore. The craftsmanship and the quality of material isn’t as important as style and trend. Because of this, we consume 80 billion pieces of clothing every year. That’s enough to clothe the next 6 generations of the human race. (Patrick Grant, Great British Sewing Bee). This is no way to live and it’s unsustainable. So, this article is dedicated to places in Utah to buy clothes that are good quality, trendy, and sustainable. Plot Twist, all of these places are second hand shops. It’s been proven that one of the most environmentally conscious things you can do is buy items second hand.
Two local shops stood out to me the most.
The first store is Get Thrifty Provo, 1700 N State St # 20, Provo. Located in a nook of a strip mall, you wouldn’t really have high hopes for any special finds. However, as soon as you walk inside, you’re greeted with trendy music and happy attitudes of stylish employees. On your immediate right, vinyls line the wall, there are tons of modern and vintage music. In respect of a retro music store, they have the discs in bins that you sort through, finding gems after gems. On your left is the register and pins and stickers of bands, celebrities, and memes. In front of you are two racks of clean and quality jeans and t-shirts. There are sometimes hats and visors, along with shoes that line the top of the rack at eye level. A good setup so you don’t miss anything in the store. At the back of the store you’ll find prom dresses, baby clothes, some antiques, and a lot of stationary. I suggest not to ignore the non-clothing items, you can find some real jackpots. For example, I found a small sage green Roseville Vase for 10$, the reselling value was 80$. They currently have a vintage rack, with unique blazer and pants suit sets, dresses, and jackets ranging from the 60’s to the 90’s. These items are slightly damaged, only because of the aging of the garments, but because vintage silhouettes and colors like jewel tones and pastels are making a comeback, I think its an excellent place to start a trendy yet personally cultivated wardrobe to stand out and look fresh.
The next store is Planted Earth, 440 S State St, Orem. Created by Dan and Penny Doty after buying the home in 1971, they transformed the home and business from a successful greenhouse into a greenhouse with collectible antiques and authentic quality vintage fashion. The oldest garnet they have is a v line neck dress from the 1940’s. When you first walk in, the organized clutter is reminsnet of a funky great aunt’s estate sale, or a fairy collecting human items to trade with goblins and wizards. The atmosphere is homely and whimsical, it makes you feel like a little kid in a Jim Henson movie. There is no real organization in the home, you walk through section after section of clothes, jewelry, and antiques. You have to take your time and you have to keep your eyes peeled, there is an item in there for everyone, guaranteed. Both floors are filled with delightful pieces of clothing and accessories. If you are looking for jeans and t-shirts though, your attention should focus on the greenhouse, on the side of the house. There are lush green plants all throughout, along with racks and rows of quality jeans, leather jackets, fur coats, and t-shirts. Prices are reasonable, reflecting the mission statement of the store which is “-our goal to provide the highest quality products, superior customer service and to help every person through our doors to have an experience to remember.”. This holds true, you will find yourself thinking about the stuff you didn’t buy, and some sort of force (maybe the ethereal eccentric atmosphere) will draw you back in to buy it.
I implore you to start finding sustainable second hand shops. Fast Fashion ends with you. These are local businesses that aren’t a direct cause of our landfills and over consumption, and you can still be stylish and wear high quality clothing.